Tesla has entered, for the first time, Interbrand’s Best Global Brands list as a company with the most customer influence and brand presence, joining the likes of Apple, Google and Coca-Cola who head up the pack as top three. The brand consultancy agency, which has produced the report for the past 17 years, ranks major corporations based on the financial performance of their product and service offerings, their ability to influence customer choice, and whether the brand can command a premium price and secure earnings for the company.
Tesla has entered the Top 100 list along with fashion brand Dior as one of the companies within the prestigious report as having the most influence and brand presence in the world. In speaking about the consultancy’s 2016 Best Global Brands report, CEO Jez Frampton said, “It’s clear the best global brands are not just weathering change, but driving it, They understand their Anatomy of Growth is complex, unique and personal; they look inward and outward, expand into new markets, and create better experiences to grow their brands and businesses.”
Daniel Binns, managing director of Interbrand’s automotive category, speaks to Forbes about how rare of an occurrence it is to see a car manufacturer start from scratch, and become a leading brand within the automotive sector. “Tesla has proven that you can break in to build a car brand from scratch — no one has done that, Only niche brands have been able to do that because it’s a hard industry to break into. No major outside force has been able to do it the way Tesla has. Some others are threatening, such as Google and Apple.”
Interbrand ranks companies based on the following three core components:
- The financial performance of the branded products and services
- The role the brand plays in influencing customer choice
- The strength the brand has to command a premium price or secure earnings for the company
Leading the pack of 100 for the fourth year in the row is Apple and Google. Despite concerns over slowing demand for the once revolutionary iPhone, Apple has managed to increase its brand value by 5%, or $178 million, besting nearest rival Google who had a growth of $133 million. Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Toyota, IBM, Samsung, Amazon, Mercedes-Benz and GE round out the Top 10. Interbrand’s top 5 growing brands include Facebook (+48%), Amazon (+33%), LEGO (25%), Nissan (22%) and Adobe (21%).
